Persona: Heartbreaker
by Mobius1ne
Summary: Natsuki is a city where demons are used to gain power and wealth. To everyone's surprise, the master of the Velvet Room chooses Soren Nakano, a cowardly, timid young man to purge the city of darkness using the beasts that lurk inside his heart.
When the Shadows came, Soren Nakano had two choices: Stab the dagger into his heart, or wait until he was eventually ripped apart.

His entire body trembled as he held the point of the flaming dagger in the direction of his chest. Behind him, a girl lay on the floor, unconscious with crimson running out of the side of her mouth. With the three globs of darkness growling and moaning at the door of the classroom, sliding closer by each minute, he had _do something_ , no matter how damn scared he was.

He closed his eyes and plunged the dagger into his heart. Soren got exactly what he expected: a white flash, and his life ending with just that.

" **No, not yet, my boy. For thou art I...and I am thou."**

-x-

Natsuki City

April 7, 2020

6:25pm

Soren held his phone up in front of his face, using the camera to adjust his silver hair. Side-cropped, but long at the front. Some may have called it unorthodox, but he liked the way it was. His gaze shifted down onto his uniform. Black shirt, pants, and shoes, save for the red accents in the stitches of the button-up shirt. He looked to his side to see a man peering at him with some amusement on his face. Almost immediately, Soren stuffed the phone in his pocket and pretended to be interested in the gray floor of the train for a few minutes. It was a bit embarrassing, but you gotta do what you gotta do. He didn't want to stick out or look weird on his first day of school.

 _Arriving at Natsuki City in five minutes. Please make sure that you have all your belongings before you exit. Thank you._

Soren laid a hand on the duffel bag sitting next to him, as he nervously gazed at the train window. They were pulling into the station. Today was the day he finally moved to Natsuki. That meant a new school, new city, new everything. Soren didn't really mind, he was used to changing schools on the request of his father.

 _Natsuki City._

He nodded at the sound of the intercom and picked up his bag, slinging it around his shoulder. With extra care to not bump into anyone, he stepped off the train and onto the station platform. Immediately, the smell of gas, food, and the sound of people and trains hit his ears. He didn't expect _this_ much people to be at the station at that hour, but Natsuki was a vastly different place than the country town he came from.

"Master Soren!" a voice rang out from above the noise.

Soren cringed, gripping his bag's strap tightly. He slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice, where a short, skinny guy in a suit was jumping up and down among the crowd, frantically waving to get Soren's attention. With a heavy sigh, Soren raised his hand to show that he acknowledged the short guy's presence. After a few seconds, the guy emerged from the crowd, running over to Soren.

"Oh dear, I forgot how busy this train station could be in the morning," he said, slicking back his black hair and adjusting his glasses. "Long time no see, Master Soren." The guy grabbed Soren's hand and shook it with great enthusiasm.

"Hey, Kazuko…good to see you too," Soren muttered, looking around at the people watching their exchange with curiosity. "Could you just call me Soren? There's no need to include 'Master'."

"Oh yes, of course, Mast- I mean, Soren," Kazuko said, grinning. "The limousine is parked just a few steps away from the station entrance, follow me, if you will."

"Hey, come on, you didn't need to get a limo," Soren groaned, following after Kazuko.

"Your father ordered me to drive you to school specifically in a limousine," Kazuko called back, pushing through the crowd. "After all, you and him haven't seen each other in years. He thought it would be a good welcoming present."

"Alright, fine. But can you drop me off a few blocks away from the school? I'd like to...get a sense of my new surroundings."

"Fine by me, Master! Hinansho High starts in thirty minutes, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy your walk."

"Kazuko…"

"Oh, my apologies."

As the two exited the station, a woman wearing large sunglasses took a picture of Soren. She looked at the snapshot of him and his silver hair starkly contrasting him from the rest of the crowd, nodding with satisfaction. Taking out a phone, she dialed a number, pressing it to her ears.

"The prodigal son has finally arrived," she whispered.


End file.
